It may develop in pre term infants (less than 33 week of gestational age) due to retinal immaturity and hyperoxia resulting from high construction of O2 therapy. It is a bilateral complication of pre term infants.

1. Retinopathy of
Prematurity
By
Mr. Ravi Rai Dangi
Assistant Professor
MSc. Child Health Nursing

2. Retinopathy of Prematurity
It may develop in pre term infants (less than 33 week of
gestational age) due to retinal immaturity and hyperoxia
resulting from high construction of O2 therapy. It is a
bilateral complication of pre term infants.

3. Risk factors
Sick neonates with respiratory distress, preterm,
apnea, Brady cardia, infection anemia, heart disease,
hypoxia, hypercabia, acidosis etc.

4. Pathophysiology
There is session of vasculogeneis with poor vascularization and myelination.
Hyperoxia cause vasoconstriction of retinal arteries leading to retinal hypoxia,
retinal edema and appearance of a new blood vessel.
A demarcated line developed between the vascularized and a vascular retina.
The line changes in to a ridge with extra retinal fibrovascular tissue.
This condition is followed by retinal hemorrhage, formal of retinovitrous
fibrous tissue behind the lens and subtotal retinal detachment.
ROP may be complicated with total retinal detachment followed by blindness.

5. Management
 ROP can be done by early diagnosis, ROP screening and
by laser therapy or by Cryo therapy to the avascular retina,
to prevent further progression of ROP.
 In case of total retinal detachment, vitreo retinal surgery
may be performed to recovered the condition.
 ROP can be prevented by prevention of preterm delivery,
appropriate use of O2 therapy and vitamin E
supplementation as an anti-oxidant in high risk neonates